12 excuses to call off work — ranked by believability and ease of delivery.
The list
- Stomach bug. "Can't keep anything down."
- Migraine. "Can't look at a screen."
- Family emergency. "Will fill you in when I'm back."
- Doctor's appointment. Real, defensible.
- Mental health day. Increasingly accepted.
- Sick child. If you have kids.
- Food poisoning. "Bad meal last night."
- Bad cold / flu.
- Plumber / electrician. "4-hour service window."
- Car trouble.
- Power outage / internet down.
- Burst pipe.
Delivery
- Notify early — ideally before your shift.
- Be brief. "Out sick today, will be on Slack if urgent."
- Match team norms — text, Slack, email, or call.
- Don't over-explain.
What to avoid
- Posting on social media during your "sick" day
- Same excuse twice in a row
- Excuses that create documentation you can't produce
- Calling out adjacent to holiday weekends repeatedly
Try not to need them
If you're calling out frequently, the underlying issue is probably the job. Sorce auto-applies to 5M+ jobs. 40 free swipes/day. Maybe the better answer is a better job.
For more: reasons to call out of work, good excuses to call out of work, best reasons to call out of work.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the safest excuse to call off?
- Stomach bug or migraine. Both are common, hard to disprove, and rarely require follow-up.
- Do I need to give a reason at all?
- Many companies just need notification, not justification. 'Out sick today' is enough at most modern workplaces.
- Should I text or call my manager?
- Match your team's norm. Slack or email is fine for most modern offices.
- How early should I notify?
- Before your shift starts. Earlier is better.